Lieutenant Azrael Bishop
|weapons = *M-96 Mattock *M-27 Scimitar *M-5 Phalanx|service number = 2204-AA-1122|rank = Lieutenant|conflicts = |weight =187 Ibs. (85 kg) |abilities = *Assault Specialist *Master Communicator|armors = *Akula Armor *Blood Shark Armor}} "''If you pull that trigger, you better pray that I die. '' O''r else you will...''" Lieutenant Aymen 'Akula' Israfil is a human soldier in the Systems Alliance Navy, and a member of the 'Ghost Recon' Programme. Akula is an assault and communications specialist and is the lead Ghost of 'Royal' Team, consisting of himself, Grizzly, Raptor and Hawk. He was part of the Normandy team that took down the Collectors in 2185 and again part of the Normandy crew in 2186. Early life Aymen was born on April 22, 2156 in Los Angeles, USA, Earth. Growing up in a military family meant that Aymen's future career was almost guaranteed. With his mother being a top Alliance researcher, and his father an Alliance Army Captain, Aymen rarely saw his parents together. This allowed him a level of freedom to explore and experiment with the world around him, boding well for his eccentric personality, although Aymen preferred the safety and familiarity of his home, as it was the only factor that remained constant during his early years, since his parents were so distant. Living a comfortable life for the vast majority of his childhood, Aymen was almost untroubled by the external world, although his parents work and lifestyle meant that Aymen traveled constantly around the galaxy. This meant that Aymen began to understand ships and military life very early on, learning to handle firearms and defend himself from an early age. Travel also put Aymen into contact with a vast array of cultures and races from around the galaxy. Over time, this gave Aymen a fundamental understanding of their history, society, military and beliefs. With this, Aymen was able to learn how to flawlessly adapt to his surroundings. Military Training At age 18, having graduated high school, Aymen enlisted in the Systems Alliance Military Academy College, with the aim of studying Galactic Relations, in addition to the standard military training. After 6 months of study and training, Aymen's mid-term aptitude scores caused his instructors to assess his suitability for advanced training programs. He was monitored by Admiral Steven Hackett, who later had Aymen transferred onto his newly formed 'Ghost Recon' programme at the Alliance Special Forces Academy in Munich, Germany in 2175. Hand picked by Admiral Hackett himself, Ghosts are subjected to some of the most challenging mental and physical training regimes the Systems Alliance offered. Aymen fell under the command of Gunnery Sergeant Mitchell. A battle hardened instructor, who believed in pushing the recruits beyond their limits. He began training regimes at 4:00 am every day, starting off with a 5 mile run, afterwards varying training between endurance and strength building. This training lasted for 4 months, with the training becoming progressively more strenuous. Of the original 100 chosen by Admiral Hackett, only 50 were able to progress through to second tier training, Aymen included. Second tier incorporated firearms and explosive training, tactics and strategy and decision making under duress. It was here that Aymen displayed his abilities, able to demonstrate extraordinary military prowess to his superiors. His shooting abilities matched those of his tactics, although he lacked the ability to use anything explosive, beyond grenades, most of the time resulting in large amounts of destruction. By 2177, only 24 recruits remained, all to be trained as squads in team cohesion and working as one entity. Aymen was made the leader 'Royal' Team, consisting of himself, Dwight 'Grizzly' Irving, Hans 'Raptor' Walther and Takeo 'Hawk' Kataro. Aymen himself donned the alias 'Akula'. Each member was able to operate alone, and dominate as a unit. Royal team quickly became the most accomplished squad in the simulations. Training incorporated many hostile situation simulations, including assassinations, survival and stealth. These simulations were used to gauge how the team functioned as a unit on the battlefield. Royal Team was able to overcome all of the simulation exercising, culminating in their final exam, in which the team was given a nightmare scenario to overcome. With this, Royal Team was able to adapt to their surroundings and come together to beat the scenario in record time. After this, Royal Team graduated, along with the other Ghosts, on June 11th 2178. Military CareerCategory:Alliance Special Forces "''Believe in Ghosts Admiral, they aid the innocent and punish the wicked..." '' - Akula, speaking to Admrial Kahoku, following the mission. Operation Ghost Akula and Royal Team were called into active duty on August 18th 2178, after Rear Admiral Kahoku alerted Admiral Hackett that his wife, Dayna Kahoku had been kidnapped on the Citadel, as a reprisal to his recent investigations into alleged corruption within the upper echelons of the Human Embassy. This was marked as a top priority mission, as the abductors had stated the intention to murder the Admiral's wife, if he fails to cease his investigations. With this, Royal Team was sent to the lower wards to pacify the mercenaries and return the Admiral's wife safely. With this, Royal was sent to infiltrate the ward, clearing it level by level, until the Admiral's wife is located. Kahoku had his wife planted with a listening device. This allowed Raptor to keep Royal Team constantly informed on Dayna's location and status at all times. Royal Team was to locate and infiltrate the unmarked 'Karbalo' Ward, unknown to many of the Citadel's inhabitants. A poor suburb, controlled by various gangs, vying for control of each level. With this, the ward had become a center for many of the illegal activities within the Citadel, including the main hub for transporting clandestine's and smuggled individuals off-planet. Royal were tasked with infiltrating the ward, eliminating any resistance they encountered, in a way that did not risk the hostage, releasing the hostage and finding evidence that could point towards the culprit. Royal Team began the operation at 5:19am, with Akula taking point. Hawk was tasked to recon the remainder of the levels, before returning to the team. Royal Team were unable to charge through the levels, as it would place the hostage in risk of being murdered. With this, a slow and methodical approach was taken, with the Ghosts using the shadows to their advantage. Operation Phantom Storm Following the success of their first mission, Royal Team was placed under the temporary command of Admiral Mikhailovich on January 17th 2179. Admiral Mikhailovich had the Ghosts come aboard his 63rd Scout Flotilla. With this, the Ghosts were tasked with gaining intelligence, regarding the increase of activity, regarding the influx of mercenaries into Omega. Admiral Mikhailovich was concerned whether this would mean an increase of ambush attacks upon Alliance supply lanes. Royal Team were deployed to Omega, in order to recon the situation. With this, Akula decided to use the most trustworthy source of information on the station, Aria T'Loak. Akula had thought that, as she had a formidable rweputation of keeping unilateral control over her territory, Aria would know what was going on, regarding the influx and what t has meant for her. However Aria does not provide information for free, and Royal Team found itself in the employ of the most feared Asari on the station. Admiral Mikhailovich was against the idea, so much as giving Akula a direct order to abandon the plans and use his squad to gain the information manually. However Akula was unwilling to put his men in harms way, especially on a station such as Omega, putting the 2 men at odds. Aria demanded that, in return for the information they seek, Royal Team was to clear out the Blue Suns mercenaries who were taking over her Eezo mining operations. Aria was unwilling to share the resources or revenue from the excavation, and so demanded that the Blue Suns be killed. Akula, seeing no other discernible solution, agreed. The squad mobilized, taking a sky-car to the mining facility. Royal Team agreed that simply killing would only mean a greater increase in Blue Sun mobilization. With this, Grizzly suggested using the fear of shadows and the paranormal to keep the Blue Suns away from the mining facility, permanently. Operation Hallowed Soul This was a first for Royal Team. As a favor to Admiral Hackett, Akula agreed to go undercover to uncover the mole, currently working from within the 5th Fleet, sending supplies to unknown sources. The mission came about, when the Admiral's attention was drawn to missing shipments of weapons and equipment. Gradually, these anomalies became more and more frequent, enough for Hackett to suspect something was amiss. Akula was positioned to pose as 'Michael Fischer' a weapons smuggler interested in purchasing Alliance weaponry.